6 Wedding makeup mistakes

Jamie Beckman is the lead blogger for the Sexcerpts blog on SheKnows.com. She has written about relationships, health and lifestyle trends for Redbook, USA TODAY, Men's Journal, Men's Health, Best Life and First for Women magazines, as w...

Brides, avoid these Makeup mishaps

Your big day is the one day you don't want to risk looking like one of the following: a clown. A ghost. A mime. Mimi from The Drew Carey Show. (Her wry sense of humor is something to emulate, yes, but her pancake makeup, not so much.)

So how can a blushing bride get her makeup just right? Start by avoiding a few key mistakes. We tapped beauty pros with beaucoup experience making brides gorgeous for their expertise on what not to do — and what products can help you avoid them.

Mistake #1: Wearing too little coverage

"Depending on the bride’s skin type, you want more of a matte finish for the oilier skins and a radiant finish for a drier skin," says Tricia Campbell, director of education for Jane Iredale. "The most important part of photography is the finish to the skin. You want the face to look flawless. For example: If undereye circles are not concealed properly, the eyes will get lost in the photo."

Mistake #2: Skimping on the blush

"Wear more blush than you think you should, because that’s usually the first thing to go, aside from lips," says Jenna Kyle, a New York–based celebrity makeup artist who has worked with Jessica Simpson and Audrina Patridge. "Usually when I look at my pictures, I could use more blush. If you ever see a celebrity in person, they’re always wearing more makeup than they look like they do in magazines. A little bit of extra blush can go a long way to adding color to the face and giving that warm glow without looking too bronze."

Try this product: MAC Powder Blush: "If you pinch the end of your finger so the blood pools in the tip, whatever color that is is going to be the most natural-looking color on you," says Kyle. [$20, maccosmetics.com]

Mistake #3: Sticking with a too-natural lip gloss

"People say, 'I love the natural look,' but you can still pick a nice color that’s a shade deeper than your lip tone," says Kyle. "Wear something on your lips a little darker than normal, because it’s going to make the pictures so fantastic. Choose a shade darker than your lip tone in the beige family, or you can line the lip and fill it in with a liner, then wear the gloss you always wear."

Mistake #4: Not having products to retouch

"If you have a professional artist do your makeup, you want to make sure you have the same products on hand to touch up with throughout the day," says Campbell. "One reason for this is to control shine, and the other reason is you want to make sure your skin tone looks the same throughout the night in photos. The same applies with your lip color; you want to make sure your lips are touched up with the same color all day or night long."

Try this product: Jane Iredale Lip Fixation: "This stain will last all day long, through kisses and conversation, with minimal touch-ups needed," Campbell says. "It’s great for photography and can be worn with or without the gloss." [$30, shop.janeiredale.com]

Mistake #5: Letting eye makeup melt and smudge

"I hate to see a bride with raccoon eyes," says New York–based makeup artist Anni Bruno, cofounder of Brooklyn Betrothed. "There are so many budge-proof products out there nowadays."

Mistake #6: Not checking for shine

"The last thing a bride wants to see in her photographs is shine!" says Campbell. "When the skin is shiny, you lose the true features of the face."

Try this product: Jane Iredale Absence Oil Control Primer: "Primers help with the longevity of your makeup, help to control oil and shine, and also help even out skin’s texture. It also creates a radiant finish." [$37, shop.janeiredale.com]

Bonus bridal makeup tip

"Wear a white top when you have a makeup trial run," says Kyle. "A color or a black shirt changes the whole color palette. Or if you don't have a white top, put a white towel around your neck and take a few pictures like that. It gives a nice feel for how the palette is going to come out."